Folding-machine.



PATENTED APR. 2 903.

L. E. ELSON. FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10. 1002.

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INVENTOR' leads-1; Z [JO/l ATTORNEYS.

UNTTE STATES ATENT rice.

LOUIS EDWARD ELSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDl NG-M-ACHINE.

:sPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 726,660, dated April 28, 1903. Application filed September 10, 1962. Serial No. 122,773. (No model.)

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements 1 in Folding-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in folding-machines particularly adapted for folding fan-tops or other blanks having a segmental form. Folding of this character is usually done by handwork, which is a slow process, not always resulting in even folds or plaits.

It is an object of my invention to provide a machine'of simple construction bymeans of which the folds maybe evenly and quickly made, thus resulting in a reduction of cost of manufacture.

I will describe a folding-machine embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a folding-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the starting position of the work. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are similar sections showing the position ofparts at different stagesof the work. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a plan View of a fan-top blank, and Fig. 8 shows a finished top. I

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a bed-plate, on one end of which is a drivingshaft 11, provided with a band-wheel 12 and balance-wheel 13. Arranged near the outlet edge of the bed-plate is a work-holding device consisting of an arm 14, which is pivoted at the end adjacent to the shaft 11 to a stud 15, having a stem portion 16, extending through a slot formed in the bed-plate. By

- this means the holding device may be adjnsted, as will behereinafter described. Near the opposite end the holding device or arm 14 bears against a plate 17 adjustable inward and outward on a post 18, mounted on the bedplate. As here shown, the plate 17 is provided with slots 19, through which bolts 20 pass into the post,-and bolts 21 pass through openings in the outer sides of the post and .bear against the edge of said plate 17. By this means the holding device will be kept in perfect alinement during its movements.

At'its pivoted end the holding device or arm 14 is provided with a curved shoe or plate 22. This shoe is designed to be engaged by a cam 23 on the driving-shaft 11. The opposite end of the holder or arm 14 is connected to one end of a spring 24, the other end of the spring being attached to some fixed device.

Arranged to slide on one side of the holding device or arm 14 is a holding-plate 25, which engages at its ends in slideways 26. Brackets 27 extend upward from the arm 14, and in the upper horizontally-disposed ends of these brackets adjusting-screws 28 are arranged, these screws 28 having projections Which extend into the springs 29, the lower ends of the spi-ings receiving lugs or projections on the upper side of the plate 25.

The folding device comprises an arm 30, pivoted near one end, as at 31, and on the extended portion 32 is a roller 33 for engaging with a cam 34 on the shaft 11. The 0pposite end of the arm 30 moves undera holding device or guide On the side of the arm 30adjacent to the plate is a foldingblade 36. 'This folding-blade has a vertical movement with relation to the arm 30, and arranged between hrackets'37 on the arm and the side bladeare springs 38, which serve to move the folding-blade downward, the tension of which springs maybe adjusted by screws 39. A lever 40, mounted to swing on the arm 30, is provided with an extension 41 for engaging with a yoke 42, attached to the folding-blade 36. The forward extended end of this lever is designed to be engaged by a cam or arm 43, carried on a shaft 44, having bearings in uprights 45 on the bed-plate. This shaft 44 is designed to have a rocking motion at certain times. To provide such rocking motion, an arm 46 extends from said shaft and is engagedjby a cam 47 on the shaft 11. From the free end of the arm 30a chain or other device 48 extends to connection with a spring 49, which will serve to draw said arm in one direction. tal guide-plate 50 is removably placed on the A segmeubed-plate. As here shown, the bed-plate is provided with a slot 51, through which a bolt from the guide plate passes. Obviously guide-plates of various curvature may be provided for fans of different sizes.

In the operation of the machine the blank 52 is to be placed in the position indicated in Fig. 2-that is, the holding-plate 25 bearing directly on the bed-plate 10 and the end of the blank abutting against the same. Now as the machine is in operation the cam or arm 43 will be moved to release its pressure on the lever 40, permitting the folding-blade 36 to move down under the influence of the springs 38 to engage with the material to be folded. At this time the cam 3% will swing the arm 30 in the arc of a circle and will press the fold between the two plates 25 and 36, as indicated in Fig. 3. Now the cam 23 by engaging with the shoe will swing the holding device upward, so that the portion of the fan-top folded will pass underneath the same, as indicated in Fig. 4. The cam 23 having released the end of the arm 14, the spring 24 will again move said arm downward to engage the material, as indicated in Fig. 5. Then the spring 49 will move the arm 30 and the folding device outward to the position indicated in Fig. 1, and the movements will be repeated until the blank is completely folded, as indicated in Fig. 8.

It will be noted that the under sides of the arms 14 and 30, and also the holding and folding blades are inclined from their adjacent surfaces upward and outward, thus providing room for the material to gather. The material underneath the arm 30, however, passes over a plate 53, carried by said arm. The top when finished will pass into a chute 54, from which it will fall into a suitable receptacle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a folding-machine, a vertically-movable device for holding material, and a folder movable in the arc of a circle in a horizontal plane.

2. A machine for forming folds in a material having segmental form, comprising a swinging holding device for the material, means for swinging the holding device, and a folder movable in the arc of a circle.

3. A folding-machine, comprising a workholder having vertical movement, a foldingblade having vertical movement, and also havinga movement in the arc of a circle, and means for causing the several movements.

4. In a folding-machine, a bed-plate, a holding device comprising an arm mounted to swing on the bed -plate, a holdingplate movable vertically on said arm, springs for moving said plate downward, a folder comprising an arm mounted to swing in the arc of a circle, and a folding-blade carried by said arm and having a vertical movement with relation thereto.

5. In a foldingmachine, a bed -plate, an operating-shaft mounted on said bed-plate, a vertically-swinging holding device on the bed-plate, a cam on the shaft for moving said holding device in one direction, means for moving the holding device in the other direction, a folding device mounted to swing in an arc of a circle, and a cam on the shaft for moving said folding device.

6. A machine for forming folds in material having. segmental contour, comprising a bedplate, a holding device having verticallyswinging movements on the bed plate, a holding-plate mounted to slide vertically on the folding device, springs for moving said plate downward, an arm mounted to swing in an arc of a circle, a folding-blade having vertical movements on said arm, a driving-shaft, a cam on the driving-shaft for moving the holding device in one direction, a cam on said shaft for swinging the arm in one direction, and means actuated from said shaft for raising the folding-blade.

'7. In a folding-machine, a bed-plate, a shaft having bearings on said bed-plate, a vertically-swinging arm on said bed-plate, a hearing for said arm and adjustable toward and from the edge of the bed-plate, an adjustable guide-plate forsaid arm, a holding-plate carried by the arm, a cam on the shaft for moving said arm in one direction, an arm having a horizontally-swinging motion, a foldingblade carried by said arm, and a cam on the shaft for swinging said arm in one direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS EDWARD ELSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES MORGAN, JENNIE O. HASSILDINE. 

